North Dakota Legislative Session - Outdoor Legislation

Defines who is eligible for a gratis tag for hunting moose, and allows applicants to apply annually regardless if already issued a license. 

Allows the use of a telescopic sight on a crossbow with a maximum power of 8x32. 

An operator of a personal watercraft is not required to have an observer on board while towing an individual on water skis, a kneeboard or an inflatable craft if the personal watercraft is equipped with a mirror on each side with an unobstructed field of vision to the rear; allows an individual who is at least 16 years old to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a personal flotation device; prohibits water skiing or surfboarding between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Includes emergency clause.

Would allow an individual to use a mechanized vehicle, spotlight, or artificial light of any size or battery capacity to pursue, shoot, kill, take, or attempt to take a coyote. Failed house.

Alters the public service commission's century code relating to mitigating environmental impacts associated with energy development. 

The director may issue special elk depredation management licenses to landowners in designated areas between highway fourteen on the western border, highway forty - three on the southern border, highway three on the eastern border, and the Canadian border on the northern border, upon payment of the fee requirement for a resident big game license. Failed house.

Allows the use of night vision, thermal vision or infrared light with a power source of not more than six volts while hunting coyote, fox, raccoon or beaver during the open season. The artificial light must produce a red, green or amber color. In addition, allows the use of night vision, thermal vision or infrared light on a predatory animal attacking and attempting to destroy poultry, livestock or other property. 

Would develop a system for hunting license lotteries which gives preference to applicants 70 years of age or older. Failed house.

Would require public notice of a wildlife survey in the official county newspaper, and on the website and social media accounts of the person/agency conducting the survey, at least 30 days prior to the start of the survey. 

Gives the director the option to establish a shooting sports grant program, which may be made available to schools, clubs and organized youth groups.

Legislative management, during the 2019-20 interim, would study the eligibility for gratis licenses authorizing residents to hunt elk or moose, and report findings to the 67th legislative assembly.

Would allow the use of air guns for hunting. 

Would establish a Missouri River council to provide for the acquisition and management of the shoreline of the Missouri River.

Relates to big game gratis license eligibility. 

Would require a mandatory waiting period of three days between the purchase and delivery of a firearm.

Changes the seven whitetail only deer licenses to four any whitetail and three any antlered deer licenses, that are provided to the outdoor adventure foundation to be used by youth with life-threatening illnesses. Qualifying youth are able to use any weapon that is legal in any season for that species when hunting on private land with written permission from the landowner.

Requires an individual who enters private property and installs a device for observing, recording or photographing wildlife to either receive written permission from the landowner, or identifies the device with a permanently affixed metal or plastic tag with a registration number issued by the Game and Fish Department, or the individual's name, address and telephone number. 

A concurrent resolution urging Congress and the President of the United States to protect the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. House adopted. Senate adopted.

Establishes an appropriation of $107,611,466 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2025. Signed by governor.

Legislative management shall continue to study the electronic land access database and application during the 2021-22 interim, and expand it to all counties. Passed senate and house. Signed by governor.

Amends a section of century code relating to criminal trespass and electronic posting, including an individual would be guilty of a class A misdemeanor by entering an enclosed fence; and the name of a person would not have to appear on each sign on physically posted land. Failed senate.

Allows the option to designate the land as posted or closed to hunting in an online database or other electronic application. Failed senate.

Requires a political subdivision to notify the Game and Fish director, among others, before engaging in meetings with federal agencies to have any water body in the state designated a wild, scenic or recreational river under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Signed by governor.

Increases game and fish violations for a class 1 noncriminal offense from $50 to $100, and a class 2 noncriminal offense from $25 to $50. Failed senate.

The department may not adopt a rule or implement a policy prohibiting or restricting the use of supplemental feed on private property for hunting a big game animal. Has a sunset clause of July 31, 2029. Passed senate. Passed house. Signed by governor.

Allows solid flourescent pink or a camouflage pattern of at least 50% flourescent orange or pink to be worn by big game hunters. Passed senate. Failed house.

Allows the option to designate the land as posted or closed to hunting in an online database or other electronic application, and provides a penalty for trespass. Passed senate. Passed house.

The number of pronghorn gratis licenses issued may not exceed one-half of any pronghorn licenses available. In addition, if the individual is unsuccessful in the landowner lottery, that application may be included in a lottery for remaining licenses. Passed senate. Passed house. Signed by governor.

An individual may not hunt or pursue game within 440 yards of a building, occupied structure, or storage structure without the consent of the property owner. Failed senate.

Applicants age 75 and older would be able to enter their name twice in the moose lottery. Passed senate. Failed house.